Sunday, July 09, 2006

Henry Qualls

Chuck Nevitt of the Dallas area placed a story from the Washington Morning news about an artists he recorded for his Dallas Blues Society Records, Henry Qualls, arguably the last of the real Texas country bluesmen. Qualls recording an album on Dallas Blues Society Records as well as four tracks on the Cannonball album, Blues Across America, The Dallas Scene are wonderful roadhouse jukin’ down blues. Its amazing what he does to the oldie but goodie, Bread and Butter, and this is one artist I would have loved to see. The Cannonball collection may be available as a used or bargain and I believe you can still get copies of the Dallas Blues Society one from Chuck and perhaps some internet blues mail order places like bluebeatmusic.com.

Here is link for Dallas Blues Society Records:

http://www.dallasbluessocietyrecords.com/

Here is a teaser:

“”Last True Texas Bluesman;
How a farmer and mechanic from tiny Elmo, Texas, wound up on a road
to the recording studio, nightclubs and European music festivals

BYLINE: Bill Minutaglio
DALLAS MORNING NEWS

BODY:
Dallas music promoter felt sure that he had come across one of the most important discoveries in recent
Texas history. Now, alone in his two-room garage apartment, he placed a call to Holland.

Waiting on the other end was the producer of a prestigious European music festival.

The promoter pushed the Start button on his tape player and placed his phone near the speakers. Over
the wires moved a slow, naked sound from somewhere long ago. Spider-web whispers of a rough backwoods East Texas guitar rhythm rarely heard in the last quarter-century. Open-wound sighs of an instrument—bottle, knife, shard of glass—hitting steel strings. And most of all, a proud but weary working
man's voice. A broken, graveyard voice singing I about the train, the phantom, that might take you away if
only someone would let you on board I about a thing so cold it could only be death I about the cruel way a
child _ of any age _ can lose a mother.>>


The full message is in the message archive of North Texas Blues Group on Yahoo where the full piece can be read. I am not sure whether you need to join this group or not to read the message. The Archives may be visible to all. I tried posting the link to the message but it did not work so here is a link to the North Texas Blues Group and the message was posted saturday, July 8. If it does not work, you may have to join the group.

http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/NorthTexasBlues/

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